Columbus North’s Reese Euler competes on the vault in a gymnastics meet against Columbus East at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
The Columbus North and Columbus East gymnastics teams are hoping for much better scores at the end of the season than what they put up Monday night.
The Bull Dogs and Olympians had significantly lower numbers in their annual dual meet than what they’ve been accustomed to scoring the past several years, and both were a little below where they were in last week’s season openers. Both teams will look for major improvement following North’s 102.575 to 86.1 victory.
“We can do better, but we did just have two meets in a row,” East co-coach Melissa Dishinger said. “That’s really hard on everybody. The judging was a little harder, but that’s OK. That’s preparing us for the end of the season.”
The Bull Dogs had three different winners in the four individual events, and those three gymnasts claimed the top three spots in the all-around competition. Sophomore Reese Euler won the vault (9.4) and floor (9.1) and took second on the bars (8.425) and third on the beam (7.65) on her way to winning the all-around with a 34.575.
Euler, who finished sixth at state in the all-around last season, was more than three points off the 37.625 she scored in Wednesday’s opener at Franklin Central.
“I liked how vault went,” Euler said. “Honestly, it was kind of an off day, so I think going forward for Thursday (against Bloomington North), it’s a goal to hit more of my skills because on beam, two things happened that usually don’t happen. So I just want to go and hit 4 for 4 on Thursday. It’s only our second meet, so I’m glad I got everything out today, so going forward this season, I can just do my best.”
Lindsey Mullis won the bars (8.55) and finished second on the vault (9.2) and third on the floor (9.0) in placing second in the all-around (34.15). Laney Acton won the beam (8.155), placed third on the bars (7.825), tied for third on the vault (8.7) and was fourth on the floor (9.3) en route to third in the all-around (32.98).
Also for North, Hannah Perry tied for third on the vault (8.7) and Ellie McIntier finished fourth on he beam (7.55).
“I would say we had some good points, but we also had some points where we can improve in the upcoming meets, especially on Thursday,” North co-coach Kaitlyn Rediker said. “We had some falls on floor and beam that we can improve on, and that’s just going to take practice throughout the season, and hopefully, we can continue to improve.”
“There were some good things that happened,” North co-coach Bob Arthur added. “Really, I kind of expected at the beginning of the season, we’re going to have some things go well and some not so well. We kind of reinforced to the girls that if you’re going to make mistakes, make them at this time of the season and improve upon them going forward.”
The Olympians were led by Cami Warren, who finished second on the beam (7.7) and fourth on the bars (7.425) and in the all-around (31.025). East’s Lauren Dixon was fifth in the all-around with a 24.55.
“I think they did well,” East co-coach Katie Menefee said. “We had some people that put things in their routines they hadn’t done yet, and then we’re just trying things to see how it works.”
Columbus North 102.575, Columbus East 86.1
All-around: 1. Reese Euler (CN) 34.575; 2. Lindsey Mullis (CN) 34.15; 3. Laney Acton (CN) 32.98; 4. Cami Warren (CE) 31.025.
Vault: 1. Euler (CN) 9.4; 2. Mullis (CN) 9.2; 3. (tie) Hannah Perry (CN) and Acton (CN) 8.7.
Bars: 1. Mullis (CN) 8.55; 2. Euler (CN) 8.425; 3. Acton (CN) 7.825; 4. Warren (CE) 7.425.
Beam: 1. Acton (CN) 8.155; 2. Warren (CE) 7.7; 3. Euler (CN) 7.65; 4. Ellie McIntier (CN) 7.55.
Floor: 1. Euler (CN) 9.1; 2. Perry (CN) 9.025; 3. Mullis (CN) 9.0; 4. Acton (CN) 8.3.
